Game of phones

I heard a word used the other day, in one of the endless stream of talking heads discussing Donald Trump. The word was swiftly passed by and not given a second thought, but I thought, instantly, it is such the correct word.

Fealty.

There’s been much talk that Donald Trump values loyalty over all over qualities (experience, competence, independence and integrity, for examples). I think that what he truly desires is fealty.

While he has used the term “King” a few times to describe certain aspects of his self-declared skill sets, it is more in his psychological imagery that I think he is most comfortable with the word.

I’ve mentioned before that he treats the presidency as if he were still CEO of his own private company. I now revise that impression in thinking that he treats the presidency as his own fiefdom, demanding the utmost subservience and sycophancy no matter how it may demean or degrade the person professionally and publicly.

Given his uncontrollable use of Twitter to combat any attempt at fomenting insurrection, he is a jealous king and uneasy sits the crown.

His claim that he uses Twitter to reach the masses of his loyal subjects rings (no pun intended) false. It presupposes that all those hurting and/or unemployed middle class Americans have smartphones and personal computers.

Even if that were true (and we should take pause to consider that – amazing is the quality of life in America that even our disadvantaged own cellphones and personal computers), the level of incoherence aimed at his “enemies” must certainly perplex his followers.

Consider the paradox: Mr. Trump rails at “fake news” stories about Russia and other aspects of his flawed presidency, but his most servile supporters don’t read “liberal” newspapers or watch “left-leaning” cable channels, so they would have no idea what he’s railing at. If they did (and here’s the paradox), they would likely not be nearly as comfortable in the reigns of his rule.

It can’t be both ways. Either they are uninformed and simply slavishly applaud his anger without understanding it, or they become informed and take up their hoes and axes and storm the castle walls.

He refuses to acknowledge the peril of his time and thus ignores the peril of his heirs. Denying climate change he insures that, indeed, winter is coming.

In the meantime, the siege of Castle Trump continues. The King grows ever more isolated and his demand for the unconditional fealty of his subjects grows more strident.